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Bexhill and Battle MP, Huw Merriman, this week spoke of his constituents when calling on the Prime Minister to reduce the proposed £65 charge which EU citizens will have to pay to apply to gain their rights of UK residence when the UK leaves the EU.

It’s been another tumultuous week in Parliament. Last week, the Prime Minister published the draft EU Withdrawal Agreement. Over 585 pages, this document sets out how the UK will leave the European Union.

Like many constituents, I am awaiting publication of the agreement terms and will then study every page of the documents in order to form a conclusion. I will be looking at the Withdrawal Agreement (our exit terms) and the Future Framework (our future trade and relationship terms) as a package.

A number of constituents have written to me in the past couple of weeks to let me known their feelings with regard to the status of the UK leaving the European Union. This update is intended to respond to all those who have contacted me, whether on one side of the debate (calling for me to support a second referendum) or the other (urging me to reject any deal which gives too much ground to the EU) or somewhere in between. My communications suggest that correspondents are split on preference in the same way that Parliament is.

Huw held public meetings last week in Bexhill, Battle and Heathfield to explain the process of the UK leaving the EU and discuss the options with residents. The meetings were attended by over 500 people who gave their views to their MP.

On Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th June, the EU Withdrawal Bill will be coming back to the House of Commons to consider amendments made in the House of Lords. It has been mentioned whether twelve hours of debate time is sufficient to consider these amendments. Given that the House of Commons has debated this bill for 65 hours already, and these amendments are along the lines already debated, I believe this time is more than ample. For reasons expanded on elsewhere, I have always been clear how I would be voting throughout the process to effect our departure from the EU so I will not be voting for any amendments put forward by those attempting to frustrate our departure from the EU

I have been contacted by constituents who have inquired as to whether Parliament will get a say on the final terms covering the departure of the UK from the EU and the new agreement which may govern our future terms. In particular, I have been asked if I will be voting for an Amendment 7, to Clause 9, of the EU Withdrawal Bill, which, it is claimed, would give Parliament greater power to scrutinise our exit terms.